Wednesday 2nd September 2026

Woke around 0500 with rooffret. Aki got up around 0730 to water the plants. I followed around 0900...tea and porridge. Aki spotted the bloke who has, on several occassions, offered to replaster the gate post for £120! He sports a walking stick, and look to be in his 70s...I resolved to go out and follow him to see where he lives...he may have a walking stick, but he's pretty swift on his feet! He stopped at Alice's at No.89...I bumped into Dulcie outside No.110, so stopped for a chat, then picked up the trail once my target had walked on. He disappeared up Mitford Road...I stalled, pretending to talk to the hens in the school grounds adjoining...my target stopped a couple of times, ringing doorbells, evidently offering to trim hedges or overgrown shrubs. I gave up, and double-backed to Tesco to buy milk, then walked back home. Aki had finished packing and her suitcase was waiting in the lobby. She headed off for Stansted, via Tottenham Hale, at 1215. We parted at the bus stop. I picked up some Euros I'd ordered from the Post Office, then made my way to the offices of Islington Council. I wanted to know why the Parking Dept hadn't acted on my letter explaining the false registration of a car to our address, as I'd received a visit from the bailiffs yesterday. Had to wait half-an-hour to get seen, and didn't get very far...they recommended I get back in touch with the bailiff and request a written response. I lunched at Belle Epoche, then walked down Upper Street and popped in to the Lloyds Bank branch in Angel with a query regarding the new credit card they'd sent me recently. Paid a visit to Hotel Chocolat, and bought some chocolate! Took a bus back up the Holloway Road. Bought a pie and chips from Waitrose for dinner tonight. Headed for Marylebone after dinner to see an intriguing production of Krapp's Last Tape at The Cockpit Theatre. The actor playing Krapp is 84 and has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's...a prompt corner had been set up on the very edge of the stage, and you could hear the prompter relaying his moves to his earpiece...it was a bit distracting at first, but showed the actor's plight in stark terms...making the performance a very vulnerable and moving one. The prompt had to get up on stage at one point to help him out with re-spooling the reel-to-reel machine. His efforts earned him a standing ovation at the end, from a full house. Great stuff! Walked to Edgware Road tube station and made my way home. Photo from Aki...at dinner with rowing chums somewhere to the north-west of Palermo. Got home around 2130. Watched some highlights from Reading Festival before bath and bed...

Tuesday 1st September 2026

Woke in the early hours with rooffret! When will it end!?! Aki brought me a mug of tea around 0800. Sat up in bed doom-scrolling for a while, before rising to porridge. No word from RoofPro...doesn't look as if it'll be fixed before I head for Sicily. Aki headed off to tai chi. She handed me an envelope that had been posted by hand through our letterbox, addressed to one James Hurrde, the man who doesn't live here! It turned out to be from the bailiff, threatening to come round to take goods worth £576, the amount this chap owes for parking fines in Islington! I rang the number on the notice, and spoke to a very helpful young lady named Ellie...I told her this had been an on-going tale, and that I'd reported the matter to the police, and to Islington...she asked for our Council Tax No., and said we won't hear from them again! Aki returned for lunch. Ventured out in the afternoon...Aki had been recommended an exhibition at the Wellcome Institute, so we headed for Euston, and took a look. There were four or five small exhibitions on, all a bit underwhelming, to be frank, though I liked my photo of the upside down Gormley statue seemingly floating above one of the staff! Caught a No.91 bus back home. Pasta for dinner, with prawns and crab meat. Ice cream and peaches to follow. Nowt on telly. Bath and bed...